 |
| Jesus, Moses, and Elijah |
Death
The Watchtower Society teaches that at death a person goes into a state of ‘non-existence’ and those opposed to Jehovah will be annihilated.
“Death Definition: The ceasing of all functions of life. After breathing, heartbeat, and brain activity stop, the life-force gradually ceases to function in body cells. Death is the opposite of life.” - Reasoning from the Scriptures, WBTS, 1985, p.98.
“Paul speaks of those who have known the truth, have been partakers of holy spirit, and then have fallen away .The ransom could no longer help them; hence they would receive no resurrection .This illustrates the future before them: complete annihilation.” - Insight on the Scriptures, Vol.2, WBTS, 1988, p.792.
Genesis 2:17 – They argue Jehovah warned Adam against disobedience, which would lead to death.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 – Insist the dead are conscious of nothing.
ResurrectionThe personality and character, of a person worthy of resurrection, are in God's memory and they will be returned to a re-created body sometime in the future.
“Anastasis, the Greek word translated resurrection, literally means a 'standing up again' and it refers to a rising up from death .Resurrection involves a reactivating of the life pattern of the individual, which life pattern God has retained in his memory. According to God's will for the individual, the person is restored in either a human or a spirit body and yet retains his personal identity, having the same personality and memories as when he died.” - Reasoning from the Scriptures, WBTS, 1985, p.333.
This ‘reactivated life-pattern fits their teaching that a person goes out of existence when he dies, and is simply retained in God's memory. They argue:
1 Corinthians 15:40, 42-44, 47-50 -There is no allowance here for any mixing of two sorts of bodies or for taking a fleshly body to heaven.
John 11:11, 14-44 - If Jesus had thus called Lazarus back from a state of bliss in another life, that would have been no kindness. But Jesus' raising Lazarus up from a lifeless state was a kindness both to him and to his sisters. Again, Lazarus became a living human.
John 5:28, 29 - These verses must be understood in the light of the later revelation that he gave to John. (See Revelation 20:12,13.) It would be inconsistent with Romans 6:7 for people to be condemned on the basis of deeds in their past life. Jesus was pointing ahead to the resurrection and then, in the remainder of John chapter 5, he was expressing the outcome after they had been uplifted to human perfection and been put on judgement.
BIBLE TEACHINGDeath
Greek scholar W.E.Vine says of the Greek word thanatos
“Death is used in Scripture of: (a) the separation of the soul (the spiritual part of man) from the body (the material part of man) .(b) the separation of man from God.” - Vine's Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. 1, p.276.
What is Death From God's Point of View?Genes 2:17: 3:4 - Adam and Eve did not die physically on the day they disobeyed. Thus, death does not just mean the cessation of physical life.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 - If you take this verse literally the dead have no reward of resurrection.
Matthew 8:22 - This among other verses shows that a person, even though still physically alive, can be considered dead.
Are we Conscious After Death?Luke 20:37,38 - Jesus' argument is that as God is not the God of the dead but the living, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must be alive and conscious, because He is their God.
This being Jesus' teaching we must expect to find other Scriptures that show conscious life after death.
1 Kings 17:21,22 [NWT] - The soul called back into the dead body. Where was it after it had left the body?
Luke 9:30 - Moses and Elijah actually speaking with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Revelation 6:9,10 - Souls in heaven (see also Revelation 20:4) talking.
Hebrews 12:23 - Spirits of righteous men in heaven.
Phillippians 1:21-24 - Death is gain. Is non-existence gain?
Phillippians 2:10,11 - Those under earth could not worship the Lord if they were non-existent.
ResurrectionResurrection is a key teaching in Scripture because it is the confirmation of what Jesus Christ accomplished at Calvary (see Acts 1:22 and 4:33)
1 Corinthians 15:35-53 - Physical bodies will put on incorruption and immortality. Paul taught that in the resurrection our bodies would be raised incorruptible and immortal, not recreated. There may be a time lapse between the death of the mortal body and the resurrection of that same body but this is what Scripture teaches.
John 11:25,26 - Jesus promised that we would never die.
John 5:28, 29 - These verses are very clear in what they teach. Verse 24 has already shown that those who truly believe have already passed into eternal life and do not have to go through judgement. Those who do not have this life will have the judgement spoken of in verse 29. Also note Hebrews 9:27 - men die once and then comes the judgement. There is no teaching of a resurrection to a second chance.
Scripture also talks about that which is imperishable or incorruptible.
“… for you have been born again, not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.” - 1 Peter 1:23.
Vine says of this word, "not liable to corruption or decay." This is something, which will not rot, or decay and must have a future in the resurrection, as it cannot pass out of existence.
ImportantMany important doctrines are affected by resurrection. If you get it wrong, it has a 'domino effect.' For instance, the Society teaches two differing hopes for mankind. A small group goes to heaven and the rest of 'worthy' mankind on earth. But Ephesians 4:4 shows there is just one hope.
The Watchtower will argue that the Bible here is only referring to those destined to have a heavenly home. Thus, people like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob do not go to heaven at all. The Bible however, teaches something different in Matthew 8:11 and Hebrews 11:13-16.
Without the hope of resurrection after death, we live a miserable existence.
“If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most to be pitied.” - 1 Corinthians 15:19.
Comments
Thank you for your work.
The answer is quite simple. It is in the purposes of God that there should be a physical resurrection. He made a physical world, governed by scientific rules and principles, and that world will be 'restored.' Therefore, it will be a physical world with resurrected people..